My Memories of Mansfield Cinemas

The Granada

By Berisford Jones

I commented recently on Malcolm Raynors page on Mansfield Cinemas with the following;

“I remember the Granada and its cafe very well. 3 courses for 25p at lunch time in the months just before it closed. The Hot Buttered Cabbage was a favourite of mine! However, whilst I remember the food and cinema inside very well I never appreciated how big it was, that is to say, how much area it occupied. Looking at aerial photos on the other site shows just what a massive building it was.”

That prompted me to dig out this photo I took on Thursday 24th May 1973, two days before the Granada cinema Mansfield was closed for good.

As the photo shows, it was a fine spring day with the market in full swing and what appears to be a full house in the ‘Licenced Restaurant’!

The clearance work for the Four Seasons Centre had already started as can be seen top right, that window frame looks to be in Health and Safety inspectors heaven don’t you think?

I used to go to the Granada every Saturday morning for the children's matinée. I remember the club song which went something like, "we're all for one and one for all the Mansfield Grenadiers". My mum and dad used to know the manager and when the cinema closed to make way for the Four Seasons, we bought some of the dining room chairs and curtains for our house on Union Street. Happy times.

By John ClayOn 25/02/2013

I may be not as old enough to remember all the good times as some of you older folk on this forum, but I am pleased that I do remember something about this cinema. I only went inside just the once, my mother took me to watch the "Railway Children" film in 1970 when I was five and I remember it very well. A few years later the buildings were all derelict in that area and I played inside them with my friends before they were demolished to make way for the new four seasons precinct. The ABC then became Mansfields premier cinema and so the saturday morning matinée was shown at the ABC and was to become the place to be for the kids on a Saturday morning. It cost us an old sixpence or (2 and a half pence) post decimal.

By Simon LeiversOn 26/02/2013

What a great sight brought back loads of memories thank you.

By Ann PearsonOn 27/03/2013

I was the organist who played the Wurlitzer for the Childrens Matinee from 1968 till 1973, we had around 600 attending , even had a 30 minute stage show. It was great working with Ken Robey the Chief Projectionist. I can remember John Clay who has posted above and his brother Seth. I wonder how many remember singing the Mansfield Grenadiers and shouting out 'we want a peanut'. Happy Days

By Alan WilsonOn 18/10/2013

Looking at the photograph, Poyser jewelers was built across the alley that went up the side of the Granada and came out at the side of Barclays bank on Stockwell gate, there was a chain link fence that blocked the alley way but it was never always locked. There was a great fish restaurant up the alleyway but l dont remember the name, but l bet some old timer writes in and tells me!

By Paul RobinsonOn 02/11/2014

Paul!! I think it was the Elite Fish and Chip Restaurant in the 50s!!

By Tom SheadOn 03/11/2014

H Tom,

The name doesn't ring a bell, l only knew it in the mid 60's when l went in occasionally with my mum on a shopping expedition.

I suppose it did a fair trade at the end of a film show as the doors to the Granada opened at the side to let people leave.